


Love of Ours Alternate Ending

by SeleneMoon



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: A spin-off, Alternate Ending, Go read up to chapter 37 of Love of Ours, I guess it's this., In fact just read Love of Ours, Not really sure if this is going to end but it's interesting, Other, The stuff I would tag is spoilers so I guess I won't., This came from a comment..., What's a canon divergence of a fanfic?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-10
Updated: 2018-03-27
Packaged: 2018-12-25 15:14:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12038574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeleneMoon/pseuds/SeleneMoon
Summary: Picked up fromChapter 37 of Love of Ours. This was whoIthought was responsible for Tony's... spoilers... ReadLove of Oursfirst. (Putting it in the notes at the beginning.)Permission granted from the author,Emeraldine087.





	1. The Abductors

**Author's Note:**

  * For [emeraldine087](https://archiveofourown.org/users/emeraldine087/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Love of Ours](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7608316) by [emeraldine087](https://archiveofourown.org/users/emeraldine087/pseuds/emeraldine087). 



> So this was who _I_ thought was responsible for Tony's kidnapping. 
> 
> I posted this scene in the comments of Chapter 37 after Chapter 38 (revealing the truth) came out and [Emeraldine087](http://archiveofourown.org/users/emeraldine087/pseuds/emeraldine087) seemed to really like the idea. So here's to you. You are so close to being done. That's quite an achievement and happy (near) birthday. 
> 
> Full disclosure. I have _no idea_ how this would end, so I'm not sure how far this will go or if I'll finish it. (I figure it's not as important since you have the [original](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7608316/chapters/17316379) and that's almost done.) But I do have an idea or two for one or two chapters. 
> 
> Also, I'm not much a shipper... I tend to value friendships more. But I'm going to stay as true to [Love of Ours](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7608316/chapters/17316379) as I can.

Steve and Bucky stood shoulder to shoulder. Steve was aware of Bucky taking in the entirety of the warehouse, making a note of every exit and entrance. They had no idea whether or not Tony was here. But Bucky had combed through the city and identified the places that he would have taken a high profile target if he (or rather, the Winter Soldier) had been ordered to do so. This warehouse topped the list. Part of Steve itched to call in reinforcements, but he couldn't risk it. Whoever had taken Tony knew enough about his failsafes to disable every damn one of them. That screamed an inside job. As much as Steve despised the idea of a member of their family betraying Tony (again) he couldn't risk someone alerting the kidnappers to their presence. 

...If they were even there...

"FRIDAY checked, there's no cameras in the area." Bucky murmured. "Part of what makes it ideal, but it also means we'll have to go in for a visual." Steve nodded grimly. 

"You go high, I'll go low." He ordered. Bucky silently accepted his orders, falling more into his role as the Winter Soldier than Bucky Barnes. Steve tried not to let it disturb him. The Soldier was part of Bucky after all. And both of them were willing to do whatever it took to retrieve Tony. 

He couldn't help admiring the man a moment as he expertly climbed to the second floor and slipped in a window. Steve looked at the side door. Too easy. He found a moldering bit of plywood covering a hole in the side of the crumbling building and shifted it slightly to squeeze into the dark damp warehouse. He covered the hole to prevent light from getting in and looked around as his eyes adjusted. 

He spotted Tony immediately. He lay on a bed that was incredibly out of place in this musty, dilapidated structure. He had to quash his immediate desire to run to the man. He didn't see any guards, but he'd been right to avoid the door. Every entrance on the ground floor was booby trapped. Steve approached Tony slowly. Unwilling to give up his position but unable to deny his need to assure himself that the genius was alright. 

He reached Tony without incident and reached out a hand to check his pulse. He couldn't suppress his sigh of relief when he felt the steady beat under his fingertips. His hand cupped Tony's face a moment, before he pulled back. 

His eyes trailed down to the genius' forearms he saw clean white bandages wrapped around the area the implants had been removed from. Clearly they were being changed regularly and with great care. More care than he'd have expected from an enemy. Steve frowned at the bed. It didn't belong there. It looked incredibly comfortable, with fluffy pillows and what seemed to be a down comforter that smelled clean even from where he was standing. God, had they been wrong about Ross? Was this the work of some depraved fan who was far too obsessed with Tony? Steve's fists clenched. He had to get him out of here. Steve reached down to lift the genius into his arms. 

He heard something and leaped back as a familiar shape shot between him and Tony. His mouth dropped as the weapon ricocheted off the walls behind him and returned to the hand of the man who had thrown it. A muscular, blond man... with a silver ring on his left finger and a murderous glint in his eyes. 

"Get the hell away from my husband." Steve Rogers-Stark spat at his counterpart.

 

Steve gaped at the other man. "You're him." He said dumbly. This was him; the version of Steve that Tony had fallen in love with. And if that thought didn't send a twinge of jealousy through Steve's heart-

The other man scowled. "I said, get away from him!" He shouted, and threw his shield again clearly with the intention of forcing Steve back again. But Steve was ready this time. With a practiced hand he reached out and plucked the shield out of the air. 

He glared right back. "He's not your Tony." He snapped. The other Steve's face twisted. Steve tensed. There was nothing that this man, this other version of himself, could do that he wasn't ready for. 

...He wasn't prepared for the bullets. 

Steve recoiled as a shot hit him in the shoulder, thankfully passing right through. He managed to lift the shield, taking care to angle it so that none of the bullets would ricochet towards the still sleeping (probably drugged) Tony. 

Bucky Barnes landed solidly about ten feet from Steve, on the opposite side of Tony's bed. The guns in each of his hands were still raised, smoke curling from each barrel. It wasn't Steve's Bucky. Even if the different clothing and the fact that he was shooting at Steve wasn't a big enough hint, Bucky had never, not even when under HYDRA's control, looked at him with such undisguised hatred before. 

"You don't deserve him." The former(?) assassin rumbled. Steve was tensed, his eyes darting between the two best friends. He ignored his throbbing, bleeding wound. It didn't matter right now. His only grace was that his Bucky was still somewhere in the rafters, ready to provide backup and get Tony, their Tony, the hell out of dodge if this all went sideways (which it kind of already was). 

"Maybe not. But you don't have the right to take him!" Steve yelled. "Didn't he risk his life to give you your's back?!" A spasm of pain crossed the other man's face. Bucky released the safety on his guns. Steve instantly understood and his heart dropped. "Oh god... He's dead, isn't he?" He couldn't suppress the pain he felt at the realization that Tony, even an alternate version of him, had died. 

"He was a hero, right up until the end." The other-Steve swallowed painfully. 

"I'm sorry for your loss." Steve looked down at the unconscious man. "Just because your Tony died, doesn't mean you can just come here and take ours." The other-Steve bristled.

"He was happier with us!" He snapped. Steve also bristled, partly cause it was probably true, but...

"He chose to come back to us!" He snapped right back. 

"That was before we knew what you did." Alt-Bucky growled. Steve turned to look at him. "We would have talked him out of it if we'd known." 

"Known what?" Steve demanded. The other-Steve was suddenly close enough to punch him, forcing him to stagger back the few precious steps that the other-Steve needed to put himself squarely between him and his genius.

"That you nearly beat him to death." The other-Steve snarled. Steve froze. Alt-Bucky smirked. 

"He wouldn't agree to do this until I found that video." He informed Steve. "Bruce and Tony found a way to access this universe's information and even come here before Tony..." His words caught in pain. "First thing Stevie did was check on our boy." He came close enough to holster one of his guns and cover Tony's hand with his own. "Then after, he kept checking up on him. And I started doing some research." His face twisted. "I'd have killed you already for what I saw in that video if you didn't have Steve's face." 

"I can't believe I encouraged Tony to pursue you." The other-Steve assumed an even more protective posture. Steve's breath caught in his throat. Tony pursue him?

"But you drugged him!" He protested. "You cut out his implants! You're kidnapping him!" Alt-Bucky shrugged. 

"He'll come around once we're home." He replied. "Bruce won't approve, but once we show him what you and your friend" he practically spat the word. "Did, he'll help us talk him into staying." He smiled. "Steve will have his husband. Rebecca will have her father back. And I'll have my friend again." He glared at Steve. "The only person who really loses out is you, and let's be honest." He raised his gun slightly. "You deserve it."


	2. ALT-BUCKY

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to just stick with Bucky and Steve, but I thought that some more background was needed on Alt-Bucky. And since he isn't much of a talker, I think it's better to be in his head. So...

**Alt-Bucky**

Bucky glared at the monster with his best friend's face. He wanted to kill him. But couldn't bring himself to shoot Steve point blank. Not yet at least. His hand tightened on Tony's. It would be different if this pretender to the title of "Captain America" tried to take the genius. He wouldn't let him be harmed again. Never again. 

* * *

 

_When the Winter Soldier kept himself from killing the woman his life changed. She hid him. She told the police it was a car accident that killed her husband. She brought him home and instructed him to eat food that was hot and filling (if too flavorful). She called experts while leaving him under the care of her son and butler... Her son did not seem to like him much. He would glower at him. The Soldier was accustomed to that. No one liked him. Save perhaps this strange woman who chose to help him._

_That all changed when the Soldier was triggered. He had to kill her. He was instructed to kill Maria Stark. She had seen what he did. She had to die._

_NO! She was his new handler. She told him when to eat. She took care of the investigators for him. He could  not kill his handler. Not again. Not this one._

_The Soldier hadn't realized that the teen was watching this struggle. Not until he emerged and found him staring at him with calculating, but strangely soft eyes. He couldn't recognize empathy at the time._

_"You really couldn't stop yourself from killing him? Could you?" He said, quietly. His arms crossed. "It wasn't your choice." The Soldier frowned at him. He didn't get a choice. Who would offer him a choice? The teen considered him. "Thank you for saving my mother." His arms dropped. The Soldier continued to return his gaze, perplexed. "I'm going to do whatever I can to repay you for that." The Soldier was having trouble following the boy's words._

_From then on, Tony was with him constantly. He took him from his room and into his lab, never realizing how stressful it was for the blank Soldier to be there will all of the unfamiliar technology. But as the time passed and none of it was used on him, he began to relax. He recognized Tony as his technician. One who, for whatever reason, never harmed him. He could not hurt Tony. If he did, Tony would be replaced. Likely with one who was more inclined to inflict pain._

_The Soldier was unsure what to make of his new handler and technician, both of whom sat with him when they brought in doctors. Some of the doctors never touched, merely spoke to him and tried to convince him to respond. He was unsure what qualified these people as doctors. The other ones would touch him. His shoulder, check his heartbeat, but it all seemed to be the most minimal of physical checks. They never cut into him. They rarely drew blood and when they did it was with a needle so thin that he didn't even notice slipping into his skin while his technician chattered nervously or sang to distract him. Sometimes Tony would interrupt a procedure to insist he be taught how to do it and preform it himself. If Maria was there and she didn't like the attitude of a doctor, she would intercede and call Tony so he could learn. The Soldier was uncertain why they did this, but he preferred Tony to the doctors so he never protested._

_The Soldier was becoming accustomed to his new handlers. More than that. He was starting to care for them. The first time he requested a meal (oatmeal) Maria had dropped what she was doing (literally, the vase shattered into a dozen pieces) gaped at him, and then delightedly called on Jarvis to prepare all he could need (and more than he wanted). He once started humming one of the songs that Tony sang without realizing it and was startled when Tony began to sing along with him. When he asked Tony a question in his lab, the boy launched on a long explanation that he could very nearly follow._

_The Soldier should have known better than to relax. One of the doctors tried to force Tony to leave the room. When Tony refused and the doctor continued to raise his voice. The Soldier moved in to position to snap the man's neck. Then he turned. The Soldier tensed as Russian started pouring out of the doctor's mouth. He felt his programing begin to reassert itself even as Tony shouted at the man and struck him (very poor form, the Soldier noted distantly)._

_"yбей его." Kill him. He commanded. The Winter Soldier stared blankly down at the man.  He silently assessed the situation. He had to follow his orders. And his orders were to kill. Who was he supposed to kill? This should have been easy. There were only two people in the room, and one of them had spoken the words. He was supposed to kill the other one. But... the technician was more valuable to his handler than the doctor. The Soldier reached forward and crushed the man's throat. Then he turned to the technician and awaited more orders. _

_They were not forthcoming._

_The next day the Soldier came to himself or at least as much as himself as there was left. And he did something that he could not remember ever having done... He made a choice. He requested that his handler and technician put him in cryo until such a time that his programing could be adjusted so that he was not a danger to them. He recognized that he very nearly destroyed a valuable asset when he was ordered to kill (Tony) and wished to prevent it._

_Maria protested and shouted. Tony set his jaw and three days later he presented a cryo-chamber that he assured the Soldier wouldn't hurt him. "Not like the last one!" He said over and over again, as if his pain mattered._

_"I'll wake you when I have something." He promised. "I'll wake you just for updates." The Soldier stared at him. Then lifted his hand, his flesh one that wouldn't hurt his technician. He put it on his head, inwardly surprised that the boy didn't flinch, and ruffled his hair. He wasn't sure where the affectionate gesture came from, but it felt right. Things so rarely felt right, so he did it a few more times until the teen pushed him off. _

_Maria hugged him. The Soldier didn't return the gesture, afraid that in doing so he'd injure her._

_Jarvis nodded at him and he inclined his head._

_He lay down, and looked up at Tony adjusting dials._

_"Sing?" He requested. Tony grinned and Bucky fell into a calm, cold sleep with Tony singing a song that was a bit too loud and edge-y to be a lullaby. It made him smile for the first time since he'd killed Howard Stark._

* * *

_The next time the Soldier woke up he was confused. He wasn't in pain. He wasn't worried about being in pain. He was actually lying down as if someone cared for his comfort. He sat up and saw someone working at the table beside him. His brow furrowed. The man, no, teenager looked up. He grinned._

_"Hey, you're awake, you feeling okay?" He put aside his project. "It's only been about six months, but I was worried and I wanted to give you a check up." The Soldier stiffened and nodded once. He steeled himself for the pain. Instead, the kid put a mug of steaming tea in front of him. "Mother told me to give you herbal tea. Something about caffeine and how you don't like strong flavors." The kid rolled his eyes. "She wanted to be here, but she's still fighting with the board. You'd think they'd get over the fact that their CEO was a woman." The kid sighed heavily. "You'd think that the fact that she's running the company better than Howard ever did would make a difference. But no." The Soldier continued to watch him silently. The boy stopped and tilted his head. "You okay? You don't talk much but this is quiet even for you."_

_"What is the mission?" He asked. The boy tensed._

_"Mission? There's no mission. It's me. It's Tony. I don't give you missions." Tony stared at him anxiously._

_"So you are not my handler." The Soldier stated. Tony's expression was aghast._

_"Soldier... You... you know who I am right?" The Soldier studied every detail of the suddenly pale boy's face._

_"No."_

_Tony spent the next two weeks trying to figure out what was at the root of the Soldier's memory issues. His mother had been quite upset when she learned about his condition. She'd talked to him for hours trying to jog his memories. Though the Soldier learned quite a lot about her and what she found important, he did not remember anything himself. Tony had to ask her once or twice to avoid talking about memories to avoid planting false ones, but Maria was not very good at following her son's orders. The Soldier watched all of this with silent confusion. The two acted as if he were a person. They were concerned for his wellbeing in a way that he'd seen expressed for others, but never for himself. It warmed the Winter Soldier._

_Then the Soldier entered Tony's lab without announcing himself. He saw nodes on Tony's forehead, the boy's face twitching in discomfort. The Soldier was before Tony in an instant, ripping the nodes from his face. He jolted, his eyes wild, the Soldier seized him by the shoulders and looked him up and down, scrutinizing him for any sign of what was being done to him._

_"You can't just pull those off in the middle of-!" Tony began._

_"Were you being punished for not making enough progress with me?" The Soldier demanded. He rarely interrupted. It usually meant pain and punishment, but this was important. He had to know if Tony was being harmed for his shortcomings. He knew that Tony could push him harder. It was merely his reluctance to hurt him holding him back. If he could convince Tony that it wasn't harmful perhaps he would do it._

_"What?" Comprehension dawned on Tony's face. "No! Oh god, no. I was just testing something to help you remember." The Soldier released him, but eyed him warily._

_"On yourself?" He asked dubiously._

_"Well, yeah." Tony shrugged. This was not acceptable. If Tony was not being provided with test subjects then he should be experimenting on someone expendable. Not on himself._

_"Next time, test it on me." The Soldier ordered. He wasn't accustomed to giving orders, but Tony could not be permitted to do this. And if his superiors would say nothing, the Soldier would have to. Tony's face scrunched in discomfort._

_"Listen..." He said. The Soldier reached up and ruffled his hair. Something about it felt right._

_"Next time you call me." He said again firmly._

_The Soldier was beginning to remember. Not as much as he wanted or needed. But enough to recognize Tony and Maria. He was starting to realize that they weren't part of an organization. Not the way he was at least. It left him confused as to his purpose and their investment in him. There was always at least one of them at home in case he needed them. And Jarvis was always there keeping an eye on him._

_He seemed to be doing well. Tony was talking about introducing him to someone new; a friend from school, Roads? But as with all things... there were setbacks. The Soldier's came when he was using Tony's memory device. For the most part, this was a painless process. It was designed to bring good memories to the surface. Mostly recent memories, because those were easier to recover. Sometimes the Soldier could retain these memories. Sometimes he couldn't. This session started out like any other. Tony applied the nodes to his face and temples (fussing over him a bit as he did so) and slowly the memories started coming to the surface. Tony mumbling over equations. Maria playing the piano. Tony trying to sing over a welding torch. Jarvis' resigned face peering through the broken window after Tony coaxed the Soldier into trying to play baseball. Maria's failed attempt at cooking oatmeal. Reaching out and ruffling Tony's blond hair affectionately. Wait- that was wrong. ~~Tony~~ Steve giving him a reproachful look ~~~~from under his now messy hairstyle._

_Steve tripping over his own feet when he tried to ask Florence to dance with him. Steve trying to carry too many books until he grabbed a few to help him. Steve snickering when Mary Smith tartly told him that she didn't kiss until the third date. Steve standing up for the little guy... even though the little guy he was standing up for was two inches taller than him, and he got a black eye for his troubles. His guilty relief when Steve was rejected from the Army. His exasperation and continued (concealed) relief every time his scrawny best friend was rejected._

_Steve showing up somewhere he wasn't supposed to be and saving his life. Was he taller?_

_Steve facing down with the man who had experimented on him. Steve's face as he fell. Bucky's relief that the ones who found him never got their hands on Steve. They would never get the chance to touch him. He wouldn't let them._

_His metal hand around Tony's throat. Not squeezing but not loosening either._

_No, wait. That wasn't the past. That was now! _

_Bucky released Tony as if his skin burned him. He could almost feel the ghost of the teen's pulse on the metal of his fingers, but that had to be his imagination. Tony took a few quick breaths, staring at him wide eyed._

_"I think I should go back under, Tony." Bucky said shakily. Tony swallowed._

_"You don't have to." He tried, unconvincingly. "This is just a setback." Bucky shook his head._

_"It was a flashback." He said with certainty. "And I'm going to have more of them." Tony tensed. "I can't risk hurting you or Maria when I do. Tony, you have to put me back in cryo. It's the only safe option." Tony fidgeted._

_"I didn't realize that you might forget us." He looked away from him. "I don't want you to forget us, Soldier."_

_"If I do, you'll just have to help me remember." Bucky reached out and ruffled Tony's hair. "And call me Bucky." Tony's eyes snapped to his face. Bucky couldn't bring himself to attempt a smile. Remembering Steve had helped him. It had helped him a lot. But he was still the Winter Soldier. He didn't smile easily. Though with Tony and Maria around... It was just possible that that might change._

_"I'm not going to stop working on a way to make you safe." Tony's voice was defiant. Defiant as Steve's was when he was standing up to a bully. Bucky shook off the memory, afraid of triggering another flashback._

_"I'd be disappointed if you didn't."_

* * *

_The Soldier woke up to find Tony staring at him anxiously. "Hello Tony," he said automatically recognizing the problem. The teen's face relaxed in relief. The Soldier sat up. He was still forgetting something, but he'd remembered the most important thing._

_Tony sighed and put his hand on his shoulder. "I'm glad you're up, Bucky." That was it. Bucky._

_Bucky glanced around the lab. It was darker than usual, and Bucky saw some new machines that Tony must have built while he slept. "Did you find something?" He asked. Tony shook his head._

_"Sorry." He didn't sound sorry. "There was actually a pretty massive black out. The back up generator was only going to last so long, so I..." Tony shrugged. Bucky examined him. There was something else. The kid could probably build a reactor out of scrap metal, he didn't believe for a second that he couldn't figure out how to keep the Winter Soldier on ice._

_His eyes flicked around the darkened lab. The black out could be the precursor to an attack. "Are you in danger?" He tensed, ready to grab Tony and pull him behind him._

_"What? No." Tony glanced around, startled. "Not that I know of anyway." Bucky relaxed, but only slightly (Tony could still be in danger). But he couldn't think of anything else... "It's been eleven months." Bucky frowned in confusion. _

_Oh..._

_"Did you miss me?" Bucky felt foolish as soon as he asked. Of course Tony didn't-_

_"Maybe..." He mumbled. Bucky looked at him. "You were asleep. And then Rhodey joined the air force." Tony fiddled with the machines. "I don't know why he bothered." Tony added, clearly annoyed. "I could have built him all the jets he wanted to fly without him putting his life on the line."_

_Bucky stared at Tony uncomprehendingly. What was he supposed to do here?_

_"Where is Maria?"_

_A dark expression passed over Tony's face. "Mom and Obie are dealing with the company." He turned around and started to rearrange his tools. "DAMN!" His shout made Bucky jump and land on his feet in a fighting stance, staring around for an intruder. "Why did Rhodey join the military?!" He threw a wrench across the room. "He didn't have to! I could have gotten him a job anywhere he wanted!" Bucky blinked. "He's going to get himself killed!" Tony kicked a chair that rolled across the lab._

_"Tony..." Bucky hesitated and then put his hand on his shoulder. He was trembling slightly from poorly contained emotion._

_"Why did he do it, Bucky?" He asked in a low broken voice._

_"Why did an asthmatic falsify records and try to join up?" Bucky replied, dryly. "Some people just have a calling. And as the people who care about them, the best we can do is suit up and try to protect them." Tony turned his head slightly to peer at Bucky._

_"I can't suit up." He pointed out._

_"Is that going to stop you from protecting him?" Bucky asked. Tony looked taken aback. "I have no doubt that you'll find a way to protect your friend, Tony." He ruffled the kid's hair. "Same way you're protecting me, even if it's just from myself." Tony shoved his hand off, but he was smiling._

_"Thanks, Bucky." He said quietly. "I know you did everything you could to protect Captain Rogers too."_

_"Who?" Bucky's forehead furrowed._

_"Nevermind. Hey, as long as you're up, I've been meaning to introduce you to some pop culture classics. There wasn't enough juice in the generator for your cryotube, but there should be a decent amount for a movie marathon and microwaving popcorn." Tony led him out of the lab. And soon enough they were bundled in warm blankets (Bucky's had been forcibly wrapped around him by the teen who was determined to keep his body temperature up), and watching a movie about adventures in a galaxy far far away._

_Tony reluctantly agreed to return Bucky to cryo three days later, after Bucky had woken up from a combination flashback nightmare trying to throttle one of Tony's robots. Bucky had seen that Tony was already designing a weapons system for an air force jet that would allow them to fire out of range of the missiles in areas of conflict. The kid was going to be just fine._

_And if he was a bit reluctant to return to the ice also... Tony didn't have to know that. Not really._

* * *

_The next time Bucky woke up, Tony wasn't a teen anymore. But apparently he'd decided that Bucky should get a progress report at least once a year. Bucky wasn't going to argue, not when Tony and Maria seemed so happy to see him up and about._

* * *

_Bucky was pretty sure Tony was drunk when he woke him on his twenty-first birthday. Because there was no way the Winter Soldier was going to risk drinking and he was by no means stable enough to be the designated driver. Jarvis took his side, for once, and Bucky ended up spending most of the next few days with the butler while they waited for the kid to sober up enough to put him back under (both of them thought that he was faking his hang over to keep Bucky out after awhile). Jarvis turned out to have some interesting thoughts about martial arts and though Bucky didn't want to risk sparring with the man, he was able to watch him demonstrate and give a few tips. His rarely seen wife, Anna, came out, and decided to spar with them to get the former assassin's opinion. After watching her bat her husband around the matt a few hours, Bucky was wondering if the woman was actually a Red Room agent. He only let that theory go after Tony assured him repeatedly that if she was, she had to be retired by now. At which point Jarvis decided that Tony was officially sober (to Tony's dismay) and Bucky went back under, this time with Tony, Jarvis, and Anna sending him off. _

* * *

_Bucky finally met Rhodes. The good Captain (on a fast track to being a Colonel) had a few ideas about PTSD. Tony was already trying to integrate them using technology. Bucky was out of that cryotube three months, attending traditional therapy, sparring verbally with Jarvis and Anna, and unwinding with Rhodes and Tony, before he was triggered, and went on a rampage. The Winter Soldier went into the cryotube. Bucky Barnes didn't wake up until the next update._

* * *

_They tried a few more times. Bucky felt safe enough to stay out of cryo for two weeks, but after that he started to worry. Tony whined about it but in the end he always respected his wishes about when he wanted to sleep again. Bucky suspected Rhodey's influence there. He liked the man. Though he had broken a glass the first time he heard Captain Rhodes refer to him as a 'friend'._

* * *

_They woke him up for Jarvis' funeral. He was more upset by the loss than he expected. His therapist said it was a good thing. Bucky preferred the blankness of the Soldier to the grief._

* * *

_Bucky should have never learned how the remote worked. He was flipping past the History Channel when he caught the end of a Captain America special. Steve was dead. He couldn't protect him. When Bucky came back to himself the entire house was in shambles and Tony was singing softly, his hands out in front of him in a calming gesture. Bucky didn't say anything. He just walked back down to the cryotube and lied down inside it. Tony silently followed and let Bucky sleep._

* * *

_Bucky couldn't decide if he liked these updates or not. He certainly enjoyed spending time with Tony and Rhodes. But he was getting pretty tired of his aging therapist gauging his mental state. For her it was only once a year. But for him it seemed like it happened almost every day._

* * *

_The first time Tony introduced Bucky to JARVIS Bucky might have thought that the house was possessed and that Jarvis' ghost had returned. He'd promptly began making contingency plans for if any of the Winter Soldier's victims tried to attack Tony or Maria for housing him. That was when JARVIS told him that he was an AI to the displeasure of Tony who wanted to know how Bucky planned to fight a bunch of ghosts. Bucky decided that he liked JARVIS. He insisted Tony take him through what he'd done to create him. He was determined to figure out exactly what an AI was._

* * *

_Shit, it was more unpleasant than he thought to wake up for one of his usual updates and realize that Tony was older than him. Time really was passing him by._

* * *

_Bucky liked Pepper. She was sassy, smart, and witty. And her response to Tony trying to freak her out by claiming that Bucky was a highly advanced android that he had built was "I expect you to build me one for my next birthday. I'll add a reminder to your calendar."_

_She also helped Bucky rediscover that he could dance, which was very good information to know, even if Tony glared at him while he was getting it._

* * *

_Rhodey was leaning over him. A concerned expression on his face._

_"Hey Rhodey." Bucky made a show of yawning. It seemed to amuse Tony and Rhodey when he showed human expression ridiculously. Rhodes remained serious. With a start, Bucky realized that Tony wasn't in the room. His eyes turned on Rhodey. They were steely and cold._

_"Where is he?" The Soldier demanded softly._

_"Bucky, I don't want to risk triggering you." Rhodey's voice carried a note of warning. "I woke you up because I knew you should know, but I can't handle you going rogue right now."_

_"I'm in control." The Soldier assured the Colonel. He was. The Soldier might have been activated, but he had a goal. Find Tony. Nothing would stop him. But he wasn't going to mindlessly destroy. And he certainly wasn't going to hurt his handler._

_"He was taken. In Afghanistan." Rhodes said. The Soldier stood up and looked at his handler._

_"Let's go." His handler hesitated. Then he nodded._

_"What the hell, I'd rather have you there then looking for Tony alone. Come on."_

_They found Tony. Only after Tony had broken himself out, but the man would have died of dehydration without the combined efforts of Rhodes and the Winter Soldier. The Soldier had interrogated his way towards the Ten Rings compound. Rhodes had monitored the area until he received an update about the explosion. While Tony was giving the press conference, Rhodey was putting the Soldier back into cryo. Both of them knew that Tony would feel guilty when he realized the Soldier had been released to find him. Neither of them wanted to put that on his shoulders._

* * *

_Bucky was shocked to be awakened only a few days later. This time it was none other than Pepper Potts staring at him._

_"Oh, thank god I did that right."_

_"Pepper? What's going on?" He squinted at her. He could tell it hadn't been long since he went under. His muscles weren't very stiff._

_"Talk to Tony." She advised. Then she turned and walked away, her heels clicking on the floor._

_Bucky stood. He walked down the stairs to the lab and stopped._

_"Oh, you are kidding me." Tony jerked and looked up guiltily. His arm was still in a hot rod red gauntlet, and Bucky could see an armored helmet on the table._

_"Uh, hi Bucky." Tony waved awkwardly with his mechanical hand. "I suited up." Bucky stared at him and then dropped his face into his hand with a loud groan._

_Tony explained everything to Bucky. To say that he was not happy was an understatement._

_Bucky heard something. He went up the stairs and saw Obadiah Stane removing the arc reactor from Tony's chest. Bucky shot him in the head, replaced the arc reactor, and then he went back to his cryotube where he waited for someone to put him to sleep. It was the first time he remembered killing someone while he felt like Bucky. He didn't have the energy to process it._

* * *

_"The BARF is almost done." Tony said shortly. Bucky knew that Tony had been working on the BARF for years. That it was the most likely thing to remove the programing from him once and for all. "I also built you a new arm. I don't think you'd let other people do maintenance on that old thing. This one won't require as much upkeep. I can attach it in your sleep if you're okay with it. Don't want to risk triggering you." Bucky nodded slowly._

_"Why aren't you happy?" He asked, staring at Tony. The man stiffened. Bucky peered over his shoulder to see the log. Tony had been working on this practically non-stop for the past three months. "Tony! You have to be exhausted! Slow down! I've waited decades, a few months won't make a difference." Bucky saw Tony flinch imperceptibly. "Will it?"_

_"Not for you." Tony turned and looked at him. Bucky stiffened._

_"No." He said._

_"Bucky..." Tony's face tightened._

_" No!" The Soldier snapped, and proceeded to destroy Tony's lab until Iron Man was able to force him back into his cryotube._

* * *

_The first words out of Bucky's mouth when Pepper woke him up was "Is Tony okay?" The second words (after she'd explained her plans) were. "What the hell is an intervention and why do you want me to be part of it?" He was so worried, he didn't even notice his impressive new arm._

_Of course, Tony was alright, eventually. And Bucky was more motivated than ever to be de-programed. He had to get better for Tony. Tony was not going to stop being Iron Man, and Bucky needed to have Tony's back._

_In the meantime, Bucky hoped that the Avengers Initiative might offer Iron Man some backup._

* * *

_Bucky was dead. He had to be because Steve was leaning over him. "Oh shit. I'm dead. Now who's going to take care of Tony?"_

_"I think you'll find I'm more than up to the task." JARVIS stated drily. Bucky sat up and Steve tackled him in a hug._

_"You're not dead." Tony called from across the lab. "But apparently super-soldiers are unkillable." Bucky was hugging Steve back. "We found him in the Arctic. How he got there on the way to New York, I have no idea."_

_Tony shoved away from the desk. "The BARF is ready. And I talked to your therapist. She thinks that Steve will aid your recovery." He wandered too close and Bucky's arm shot out and pulled him into the hug. "Oh, what? NO!" Tony struggled. "Really?!"_

_Bucky wasn't about to let either of them go._

_The road to recovery was hard, but Bucky was motivated. It was a relief to have Steve back. And while Steve was a link to his past, or at least the good things in his past, Tony represented the future, and all he needed to get better for. So he pushed through... and he somehow missed the way Tony and Steve were looking at each other until he walked in on a too intense make out session._

_He wished that he weren't so far along in his deprograming process. He would have really liked to black out into the Winter Soldier at that point._

_Once Bucky had processed, he was devastated. He didn't know which of them to give the shovel talk to!_

_(But not really, it was obvious. He gave one to each of them.)_

_The only person who was more excited than he was about the wedding was Maria. And that's probably why he, Maria, and Pepper ended up doing most of the planning. Bucky was a master of tricking the boys out of hiding for wedding planning. And if they resented him a little bit for it in the moment, it was worth it for the look on their faces when they said their vows._

_Bucky knew something was wrong after Tony woke from that coma. The genius looked angry with him. It wasn't just amnesia. He stared at him with distrust. Bucky tried to ignore it. He tried to joke with them as usual. He watched Tony's confusion as he spoke to him. He remembered Rhodey. He trusted him. What had happened to make Tony not trust Bucky?_

_Bucky worked hard to gain that trust back. After a while, it felt like not that much had changed. Despite Tony's obvious misgivings, Bucky felt them easily falling into their natural relationship. But it was still different. Tony was still different. He was surprised when Steve or Bucky arrived to get him to eat. He was confused when Bucky took his side. His response to every situation was to go it alone, never asking for help. He was almost clingy with Maria and Bruce, and frequently had JARVIS check on their whereabouts. At his core, he was still Tony. But Bucky had known Tony since he was seventeen, and at no point in time had Tony been like this. _

_Tony wasn't the same. Nothing brought this fact home quite so much as when Ross arrived with an arrest warrant for Bruce. JARVIS announced what was happening. The team of soldiers and the smug general were in the lobby. Bruce had been ready to run. The Avengers who were there had been ready to fight. All of the Avengers, except Tony, who was usually the first to bust out the armor when Ross tried to threaten them. Not this Tony. This Tony snapped at them all to calm down. They couldn't go against the government or start a firefight in New York. He asked them to trust him, and seemed surprised when they did. He grab a phone and went down to meet the general. Fifteen minutes later, Thunderbolt Ross was leaving empty handed with a sour expression and a slap on the wrist from the Attorney General for the way that he'd obtained the document. Everyone was cheering, and Bucky was astonished. Tony wasn't capable of that kind of political maneuvering and manipulation. He threw around his clout and yelled a lot. He didn't look at documents, negotiate, or find loopholes. But this Tony did. He was, without question, different, but Bucky found that didn't make him care about him any less. If anything, he was impressed by this together schemer. Still, he didn't understand how simple memory loss could cause this._

 

 

 

_...It finally made sense when Tony sat him down and explained his theory. He was a different Tony Stark. He'd never been friends with Bucky, because Bucky murdered Maria and returned to Hydra. Bucky destroyed his friendship with Steve (not that Tony said it that way, but Bucky could read between the lines). Tony's face while he told him just about broke his heart. He was trying to pretend it didn't matter. Bucky hugged him and held him tightly._

_"I am so sorry." He muttered. Tony was stiff. Bucky wasn't hurt. He understood it now. If anything he was relieved when Tony finally relaxed and hesitantly hugged him back. He pulled away. "So what's the plan for both of you to stay here?" Tony gaped at him. Bucky wasn't sure what was so surprising. This Tony needed him. He'd grown to care about him too. It's not as if he was going to abandon him._

_Bucky wasn't happy when he found out there wasn't a plan to keep both of their Tonies._

_He only let it go when the other Tony insisted that he wanted to go back. To fix things with his version of the both of them (not realizing that Bucky counted himself and Steve as Tony's also)._

 

 

 

_Bucky hugged Tony, their world's Tony, as soon as he woke up. But he was still worried about the other one. He could tell Steve was too. But with in a matter of days (before either of them could say anything), Tony had found a way to access the internet from the dimension that his counterpart was from. He immediately hacked into that universe's SHIELD, or what was left of it but he didn't go into details about that. The Other-Tony was awake. It was a weight off their minds. Steve was more relaxed than he'd been in ages. Bruce smiled more. Bucky wasn't as worried._

_At least not until several months later. When he found out that Tony was building a machine to actually visit that other world. When Bucky confronted him (without Steve, he wasn't sure how Steve would handle the information) Tony admitted that he wanted to give his doppelganger the option to return._

_"I've been having dreams," he confessed, holding a tumbler of whiskey. "I think they're his memories." Tony downed the drink in one. "He seems to be okay now." Tony added. "But if that changes. I want him to have a choice. I've been monitoring his AI, FRIDAY, and she'll be the first to know if something happens to him but I'd rather not make myself known to them. If he knows I'm there he'll probably just put on an act or put up firewalls so I can't see how he is doing."_

_"Yeah, that sounds like something the two of you idiot geniuses would do." Bucky rolled his eyes in exasperation._

_"Point taken." The genius sighed and leaned back. "I started this pretty soon after he went back but he is doing better now than he was when he first returned." He tapped the rim of his glass contemplatively. "Either way, I want to be ready if he ever needs us." Tony rubbed his face. "God, Bucky, if just a fraction of those nightmares are true, I'm astonished that he could even handle being around you and Steve. Let alone become friends with you and fall for Steve... He's a stronger person than I am."_

_"I disagree," Bucky immediately objected. "But we can talk about that later. What do you expect to do if he decides to come here? Aren't you both in love with Steve at this point?" Tony grinned._

_"Well, I'm not quite as possessive as Steve is, and I've always wanted a brother." The grin turned into a smirk. "I actually do hope he decides to come. It'll be fun. Like having a twin."_

_"I'm not sure that the world is ready for that." Bucky laughed._

 

 

 

_The world might not have been ready for two Tony Starks. But it definitely wasn't prepared for none. The entire country was in mourning. The Avengers were devastated. Steve was broken. Bucky... Bucky was cold._

_The only thing that kept Steve from falling apart completely was the updates from the Other-World about Tony Stark. They couldn't monitor FRIDAY like Tony could, but JARVIS could still access reports and some video feeds. Enough for Steve to be able to function for another day._

_But it wasn't enough for Bucky. Losing Tony had unbalanced him. There would always be a hole where the original Tony had been. But he knew who could help fix him. Who had filled the space seamlessly for three months. Who they missed even when they had their missing piece back._

_The Other-Tony Stark wasn't their world's Tony Stark... But on some level he was still their Tony. And while he could never completely replace the man that Bucky had watched grow up, he could help fill that void._

_If Bucky was sure the Other-Tony was happy and safe where he was, the former-assassin might have only considered what he was thinking. But what if he wasn't? Bucky couldn't stop thinking about what their original Tony had said. What were the nightmares about? And why had they featured him and Steve so prominently?_

_He started digging. He had access to the internet from the other universe. JARVIS seemed reluctant to aid him, so Bucky worked alone, grateful that he was more adept at technology than Steve._

_It had taken less time than he expected to find what he was looking for. The video, removed from most mainstream sites due to a complaint from Stark Industries, that he eventually found on the dark net. The horrific video that clearly showed Steve's betrayal (far greater than the Other-Tony had implied). It showed Tony's enraged response. And it showed the beating that Tony received at the hands of "Captain America" and the Winter Soldier. If he had seen it before the original Tony had died, it would have hurt. Seeing it now caused Bucky to leave massive dents in the metal desk. Distantly part of him marveled at how throughly he'd been deprogrammed. If this didn't trigger the Soldier nothing would._

_He had to get Tony out of there. Who knew when something would happen and those vermin would turn on the genius or leave him to die. He had failed Tony once. He would never do it again. But it wasn't something he could do alone. The Avengers would probably think that losing Tony had made him snap and stop him before he could rescue Tony. He needed someone to come with him, someone above reproach. It was an easy choice. The video_ _was exactly what he needed to get Steve on his side. He would show him and then he would have JARVIS walk him through how to control the portal to the other world._

_Tony Stark was coming home._

* * *

 

 

 

As Bucky glared at the twisted version of Steve, he tried to figure out how he had found them. This was the perfect location. They were isolated. Anonymous. No one should have been able to find them. He'd picked the perfect place. No one would think to look here. No one except...

Bucky's eyes widened. "The other one's here!" He shouted. At that moment he was tackled by a shadow falling from the ceiling. Bucky rolled with him, grappling the man. As he was pinned, Bucky had to smile. There he was. The bastard who had hurt Tony who had  _Bucky's_ face.

This one he had no problem killing. 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is an ALTERNATE UNIVERSE~! It's the [Emeraldine087](http://archiveofourown.org/users/emeraldine087/pseuds/emeraldine087)'s original universe, and I sent it to her to get her okay (which she generously granted, as well as doing some beta-ing, thank you!). 
> 
> I tend to think of this universe as the Earth's Mightiest Heroes cartoon universe, even though she never explicitly stated it as that. ^_^ 
> 
>  
> 
> A big part of the reason that this chapter exists is that I was thinking "If Bucky let Maria live over twenty years ago, he'd be a lot older than Tony or Bucky, but that isn't mentioned, so he must have ton into cryo again..." and then "I could just see Tony working like mad to save him, and that's why he would be as close to Bucky as Rhodey!" And so this happened. 
> 
>  
> 
> The whole political idea I got from Maria still being alive. See, even though Tony was technically CEO for years, he clearly preferred being in the lab doing the R&D right? So I thought if Maria had been being CEO until Tony took over (because I don't really see why she wouldn't be) Tony would lean on her a lot and she'd get called in whenever he didn't want to deal with something in the company or something a bit more delicate than Tony was used to. The other/original-Tony on the other hand, didn't have that crutch. He had to deal with all of the pettiness and politicking that the Alt-Tony could by and large ignore because he had to go it alone (well, with Obie, but that's different). So, Tony knows how to handle arrogant jerks with paperwork.


	3. ALT-STEVE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alt-Steve makes a break for it and meets with someone unexpected.

Steve heard this world's Bucky land on his best friend behind him, but he couldn't look away from his doppelgänger. He had his shield but he was injured. Steve could use that to his advantage... But as much as he wanted to exact revenge on this man, he couldn't forget Tony sleeping behind him. Steve wished it hadn't been necessary to drug him, but he and Bucky needed to remove his trackers as soon as possible and get him away from these punks pretending to be his friend. That was what was important. Not making the other version of Steve suffer, but getting Tony away from him. 

His doppelgänger threw his shield. Steve noticed there was a curve to it that would make it difficult to catch, so he didn't. He leaned back and out of the way, letting it whiz by him and harmlessly over Tony. Before it could ricochet back Steve was moving. Racing forward to tackle the other man to the ground. He made sure to hit the wounded shoulder. This world's Captain America grunted on contact. He had to move fast. He knew that he was more or less equal when it came to a fight, but he had something that this world's Steve Rogers didn't have or deserve... A Tony Stark who loved him... and often expressed his love with inventions. Steve slammed a large bracket into place over the other man's right wrist, pinning it to the ground and pressed a button. The metal glowed faintly as it locked on to the floor. Steve jumped back. His opponent grabbed the restraint and tried to rip it free. Steve smirked. Good luck. Hulk might be able to get that thing off if he got angry enough, but Steve and his doppelgänger sure as hell couldn't. 

Steve whipped around and was surprised to see Bucky still struggling with his alternate. The man forced him back with a particularly vicious backhand, causing Bucky to tumble back and fall across Tony protectively. Buck looked up at Steve. "Get Tony out of here." He said through gritted teeth. Steve glanced at the other Bucky and stiffened. It wasn't another version of Bucky that Steve was looking at. It was  _the Winter Soldier_. Steve hadn't seen much of him, his husband had gone a long way towards removing the programming from his best friend. Clearly, his second (but just as good) Tony hadn't gotten as far with this James Buchanan Barnes, because there was none of his best friend's personality or kindness. Just the mission. Bucky whipped around and let loose three throwing knives at the other man. The Winter Soldier deftly caught two and sent them flying back at Bucky. Bucky caught one and knocked the other out of the air before it could go by him and hit Steve. "I've got this Steve. Just take him and  _go_!" Steve barely hesitated before he scooped up Tony in a bridal carry and darted out the front door, grateful that Bucky had shown him how to disable their traps with two well placed kicks as he ran. The Winter Soldier tried to follow him with a snarl, but Bucky drew his attention away by throwing a knife at the Steve pinned to the floor. 

The other Steve shouted behind him. He was easy to ignore. It was harder to tune out the sound of Bucky having it out with the Winter Soldier. But Steve knew that Bucky was more than capable of surviving the Soldier. Steve _knew_ he was. He'd beaten him before the night he spared Maria. Steve had faith that he could do it again. That and Bucky would _never_ forgive him if he didn't escape with Tony. His best friend loved Tony at least as much as Steve did, though in a different way. 

Steve raced through the labyrinth of warehouses. He was jostling Tony more than he would like. Once he was out of earshot from the warehouse (a fair distance with his super soldier hearing) he adjusted him in his arms. Tony's head fell forward to rest on his shoulder and Steve got a strong whiff of his aftershave. And, god, he'd missed him  _so much_ , he buried his face in Tony's hair and inhaled deeply. Suddenly things didn't seem so bad. Yes, they had a hard struggle ahead once they got home. No one would approve of Steve and Bucky essentially  _kidnapping_ Tony, but when they showed them that video, when they saw how much danger Tony had been in by remaining in his world, they would understand. And Tony would stay. As long as he woke up surrounded by his friends and family, he would stay. Not that that would be the end of it. Steve was painfully aware of Tony's too low opinion of himself and he was positive this one would be even worse, but with some therapy and couples counseling (and Bucky knocking their heads together a few times) they would make it work. Steve knew they could make it wor- Steve's head snapped up as he heard something. 

Someone landed on the roof next to them... Steve adjusted Tony, trying to reach for a weapon. 

"Mr. Rogers!" Steve did an actual double take as Spider-man jumped down from the roof to land neatly in front of him. "Holy shitzu! You found him! Do you know who took him? Was it Ross? No, I bet it was AIM." Steve gaped. Peter? Peter was here?! 

Of course, he was here! Steve admonished himself. Steve knew that Spider-man existed in this world. He just hadn't expected to run into him. He couldn't help the fond smile that graced his face as the boy gingerly took Tony's wrists and examined the bandages. ~~Peter~~  Spider-man was what Sam had laughingly called his protégé. Steve, or rather Captain America, had been the first member of the Avengers to meet the elusive Queens hero, and he'd felt an immediate bond with the younger crime-fighter. He couldn't help but relate to the boy. And when it became clear that Peter (though Steve had only known him as Spider-man at the time) was having trouble modulating his strength and senses Steve had insisted on training him. Bucky had found out and forced his way into the mentor relationship, bringing with him 'ancient spy wisdom' that Bucky insisted couldn't be shared with the likes of the bold "CAPTAIN AMERICA" but was perfect for a smart, agile kid with 'more brains than either of us put together'.

"Peter." Steve interrupted his ramblings. "What are you doing here?" Spider-man shot him a surprisingly withering glance through his mask (Steve was impressed by the lenses on them, had this Peter gotten an upgrade?). 

"I knew you and Bucky would be the closest to finding him." The eye roll was evident in his voice. "You can't be that surprised I put a tracker on you." 

"On me?" Steve's jaw dropped. 

"Well, I wasn't going to get away with putting it on Mr. Barnes!" Peter laughed. "And I was  _not_ going to let you do this without me." The lenses flashed. "The tracker went out a few minutes ago so I got worried." Must have been from the restraint, Steve vaguely remembered that it was designed to stop communication devices too. Spider-man glanced around. Steve recognized that look.

"Spider-sense?" He asked warily, uncertain if Spider-man's enhanced senses would view him as a threat or not. Not that Steve would ever harm Peter... permanently. 

"It's weird, not like when I'm facing an enemy, more like a sense of unease." Spider-man related. Then his head snapped up. "I heard something." He jumped on to a nearby wall and scaled it slightly. He waved frantically at Steve to hide. But it was too late. A shadow jumped down from a roof and landed on the dumpster with a crash. 

"Drop him!" The Winter Soldier snarled, raising a pair of shining silver handguns. Steve's hand tightened around Tony's shoulder. 

"Not a chance." He sneered back. He turned his head slightly so he could keep an eye on Peter. The kid _would_ fight the Winter Soldier to help him. But... something seemed off. Spider-man had faltered. The lenses on his mask had grown wide. 

The next thing Steve knew, Tony was being _ripped_ from his arms by a thick web as Peter yanked the genius up into his own hands. "I KNEW I SHOULDN'T HAVE TRUSTED YOU!" The boy shouted. Steve flinched and stared, frozen in horror for a moment as Spider-man threw Tony over his shoulder in a fireman's carry and moved unnervingly quickly up the wall. Then he raced for side of the building. He had to go after him!

"Peter! Wait! You don't understand!" He jumped towards a dumpster, intending to use the boast to launch himself up on to the roof.

He was stopped by a vicious tackle from the Winter Soldier. Steve distinctly heard his protégé's alternate cheer and shout "Kick his rear, Bucky!" even as his voice got farther away. The Winter Soldier smiled. There was nothing Steve wanted more than to punch that disgusting smirk off his face... so that's exactly what he tried to do.

...with debatable success. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the cartoon Earth's Mightest Heroes, Spider-man asked if he could be Captain America's sidekick (and Captain America made it clear that he had a lot of respect for him). Because of that I came up with the idea that Steve is Peter's mentor in the Alternate world rather than Tony, so Alt-Steve and Alt-Bucky haven't realized that Peter is Tony's protégé in this world. Peter obviously doesn't realize about this 'Alternate Universe' madness and thinks that Steve has just snapped and kidnapped Tony for some reason. I think that Peter was willing to give Steve a second chance, despite what he did to his mentor, but Steve has always been on unofficial probation when it comes to Tony. And I also think that Peter trust Bucky more because lab-time. 
> 
> I was going to make this chapter longer, but you've waited long enough... And I find I kinda wanna jump characters (originally you were going to get a really long Alt-Steve chapter followed by, it's a surprise, but I think this world Bucky is up next... I don't have a pattern.)

**Author's Note:**

> So, hope you like it. We'll see how far it goes. Comments always help.


End file.
